Merits Of Reciting The Greatest Verse Of The Qur’an
AYAT-ul-Kursi (Qur’an, 2:255) is the most magnificent verse of the Qur’an.
Ubayy Bin Ka’b says once the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked me, “O Abu Mundhir, do you know which verse of the Qur’an with you is the most magnificent?” I submitted: “Allah-o-la-illaaha illa huwal-hayyul Qaiyum…” (2:255).
The Prophet (peace be upon him) thumped my chest as a gesture of appreciation and said: “Congratulations on your knowledge (of the Qur’an), O Abu Mundhir!” (Sahih Muslim)
Abu Hurairah narrates:
Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) appointed me to guard the Sadqa Fitr (alms given during Ramadan before Eid). One night an intruder came and started collecting the food. I caught hold of him and said: “I will produce you before the Prophet (peace be upon him)” but the intruder pleaded: “I am a poor man and have number of children to support. I am badly in need of help and succor.” On hearing this woeful tale I let him go.
In the morning the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked me: “Abu Hurairah what happened to your thief last night?” I answered, “O Messenger of Allah! He pleaded his dire necessity and complained about his large family. As such I felt pity for him and let him go.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) remarked: “He has lied, he will come back again.”
I was sure he would come again as the Prophet (peace be upon him) had said, and therefore I kept watch and waited for him. The thief did come again and started gathering food. I caught him again and said that I would definitely take him to the Prophet (peace be upon him).
On this he requested that he was a needy person and had a large family to support and that he may be let off and promised that he would not come back. I felt pity for him once more and let him go.
Next morning the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked: “Abu Hurairah what about your prisoner of last night? I answered: “O Messenger of Allah, he pleaded his dire necessity and the fact that he had a large family, and therefore I felt pity for him and let him go.” He (peace be upon him) said: “He told you a lie and will come back again!”
So I maintained a watch for him a third time. He did come to steal food (from the alms store) Abu Hurairah says: “I caught hold of him and said; I shall certainly take you to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and this is the last of the three times you promised that you will not come back, (but you have broken your promise and came back).”
He pleaded: “Please let me go and I will in return teach you some phrases which will bring benefit and mercy from Allah.” I asked him: “What are those?” He said: “When you go to bed (during night) recite the verse (Ayat-ul-Kursi, 2:255). (As a result of its blessings) Allah will appoint a guard to protect you, and Satan will not be able to come near to you till morning.”
So I allowed him to go. Next morning when I visited the Prophet (peace be upon him) he asked me: “What did you do with your prisoner last night?” I said, “O Messenger of Allah, he said that he would teach me some phrases through which I would receive benefit and mercy of Allah. On this I let him go.” He (peace be upon him) asked, “What are those phrases?” I said: “He told me, when you go to your bed for sleep, recite the verse ‘Ayat-ul-Kursi’ from beginning to end, and told me that Allah would post a guard on me and Satan would not be able to come near me till the morning.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “This time he told you the truth although he is a liar. Abu Hurairah, do you know with whom you were speaking during these three nights?” I answered; “No.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “It was Satan (the devil).”
Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) also said that whoever recites Ayat-ul-Kursi after every Fardh (obligatory) Salah, nothing can keep him away from entering Paradise except death. (Al-Bukhari)
Turning To Him In Du’a
EVERY one of us has some problem or the other to deal with in our lives. But who amongst us stands before Allah, cries to Him and asks Him for help? We are so ready to cry out our problems to other people, who can do nothing for us except lend a sympathetic ear.
Why should we seek comfort with people when the Best of helpers is ready to listen to us? Allah said in the Qur’an: “And call upon Me, for I will answer your prayers.” (Qur’an, 40:60).
Several verses of the Qur’an and narrations of the Prophet (peace be upon him) encourage us, in fact command us, to make du’a to Allah, and to Him alone.
“And when my servants ask you (O Muhammad, peace be upon him) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near. I respond to the innovations of the supplicant when he calls on Me…” (Qur’an, 2:186)
Allah is close to His worshippers by His knowledge, aid and protection. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Indeed your Lord is shy and generous. He is shy, when a man raises his hands to Him, to return them empty and rejected.” (Ahmad, 5/438, Abu Dawood, no. 1488, authenticated by Sheikh Al-Albani)
So, let’s not think twice before asking Allah. Let’s raise our hands, praise Him, send blessings upon the Prophet (peace be upon him), acknowledge our sins, cry with humility and fear, complain only to Allah, be determined in our request and expect the best from Him because He is the All-Hearing, Wise.
Let us also utilize the certain times (proved from the Sunnah) during which du’a is more likely to be answered like the third part of the night, the time when the Adhan is called, during Sajdah while praying Salah, on Fridays, while fasting and while visiting the sick. Apart from the recommended times, du’a is a great act of worship that can be done at all times.
Ask Allah in times of hardship and ease. Encourage your children to seek His help and put complete trust (tawakkul) on Him alone.
“And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him…” (Qur’an, 65:2-3)
Repentance In The Qur’an And Sunnah
In the Qur’an
And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful. (Qur’an, 24:31)
“And (commanding you): “Seek the forgiveness of your Lord, and turn to Him in repentance.” (Qur’an, 11:3)
“O you who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance!” (Qur’an, 66:8)
In the Sunnah
Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) said: “Allah is my witness, that I seek His forgiveness and turn to Him more than 70 times a day.” (Al-Bukhari)
“Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant than would be one of you who were to lose his camel in a barren desert and then find it suddenly.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
“Allah will continue to hold out His Hand at night so that he who has sinned during the day might repent, and to hold out His hand during the day so that one who has sinned at night might repent, and Allah will continue to do so till the sun rises from the west (i.e. till the Day of Resurrection).”
“Allah, the Lord of honor and glory will accept repentance of His servant till his agony of death.” (Al-Tirmidhi)
Khidmat-E-Khalq Ka Tasawar
Sin That Leads To Paradise
SIN may be more beneficial for a person, if it leads him to repent, than doing a lot of worship. This is what an early scholar meant when he said:
“A person may commit a sin and enter Paradise because of it, or he may do an act of worship and enter Hell because of it.”
They asked: “How is that?”
He said: “He may commit a sin and continue to think about it. When he stands, sits or walks, he remembers his sin. He feels ashamed, he repents, seeks forgiveness and regrets it. So that will be the means of his salvation.(As for the other person), he may do a good deed and continue to think about it. When he stands, sits or walks he remembers it and it fills him with self-admiration and pride, so it becomes the cause of his doom.”
So a sin could be the factor that leads him to do acts of worship, good deeds and change his attitude. This is better for a person than an act of worship that makes him proud and he looks down on people. Undoubtedly this sin is better before Allah and is more likely to bring salvation than one who admires himself. Even if his words indicate something else, Allah is the Witness over what is in his heart.
– Madarij as-Salikeen, 1/299
Overlooking Major Sins
The Prophet (peace be upon him) often highlighted to his companions, and to all Muslims in all ages, the importance of actions that may either lead them to earning God’s reward or make them incur His anger and punishment. He was keen to do so when such actions are not given the necessary attention. A case in mind is that outlined by the following Hadith reported by Abdullah ibn Abbas: “The Prophet passed by the wall of a cemetery in Madinah, or perhaps Makkah, when he heard the sound of two people enduring torment in their graves. He said: ‘They are enduring torment, yet for no major sin.’ Then he added: ‘It is major indeed. One of them did not guard himself against his own urine, while the other used to go about with slandering tales.’ He then called for a green branch of the palm tree, split it into two and placed one half on each of the two graves. To the question why he did that he answered: ‘I hoped that their plight would be lightened as long as these branches have not dried.’” (Related by Al-Bukhari).
A Muslim should always be clean, in appearance and reality. In this Hadith, the Prophet puts strong emphasis on such cleanliness, in intention and behavior as well as in physical cleanliness. As God’s messenger, he is given knowledge through the angel who brings him revelations. It was thus that he learned of the torment received by those two dead people in their graves, and was told of the reasons for such torment. Both had habits that ran contrary to the standard of cleanliness required by Islam. One of them did not take precautions against urine dropping over his clothes or his body. Needless to say, such action rendered his prayers invalid when he prayed. A condition for the validity of prayer is that the worshipper should be free of impurity, in his body, clothes and the place where he prays. Moreover, Muslims are required to make sure to dry and then wash their genitals after urination. However, the dead person paid little attention to that, as do many people indeed, taking such matters too lightly.
The other person used to go about telling slandering tales. Such an action is often done in jest, with the slanderer spreading tales that offend a person who is not present to defend himself. At other times, telling such tales has a more wicked purpose, aiming to detract from the reputation of the person concerned. Again people often take such an action lightly, laughing with the slanderer, or even repeating his tales in front of others, without making sure whether they are true or false.
Islam accepts neither action. Hence, the Prophet makes it clear that the two dead persons are made to endure torment for their sins. At first, the Prophet says that these two actions are not major, because people often take them lightly. Then he says that in fact their sins were major, because this is their true status in the Islamic measure.
By putting the green branches on the graves the Prophet hoped that the punishment of the two dead people would be lightened. His action is a symbol of prayer for lightening their plight. He was always keen that all Muslims are granted forgiveness of their sins.
Khadija Bint Khuwailed: The Ideal Woman
KHADIJA Bint Khuwailed was the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) first wife. Reading the life story of this noble lady reveals that she was an ideal woman in the full sense of the word.
She was married twice before getting married to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Many of the nobles and rich men of Makkah proposed to her, but she rejected all of them.
She was a wealthy lady in possession of a big fortune and had her own private trade. She heard a lot about Prophet Muhammad’s integrity and honesty and that was why she chose him to conduct her business. Her admiration for the Prophet (peace be upon him) increased after what she had heard from her servant, Maisara, who accompanied the Prophet on his trade journeys. Maisara praised the Prophet’s manners and humane dealings with everybody and narrated some of the miracles that accompanied him (the Prophet) throughout the journey such as the cloud that kept hovering above the Prophet to protect him from the sun.
She sent a go-between to ask the Prophet (peace be upon him) to propose to her. The Prophet (peace be upon him) did not hesitate to propose to this great lady, although she was 15 years older than him. She was his only wife for more than 25 years and the mother of all his children (except for Ibrahim who was the son of Maria the Copt).
She was known for her wisdom, common sense and balanced thinking. She was the Prophet’s wife for 25 years during which she never made him angry even once. She also supported him all through her life financially and emotionally. The year in which she died was called the Year of Sorrow because the Prophet (peace be upon him) was deeply grieved to lose this noble wife who had been the source of tenderness, love and support.
Even after her death the Prophet (peace be upon him) remained loyal to her memory. He used to warmly welcome her relatives and friends and when his other wife ‘Ayesha used to feel jealous because of this. Once she said, “Allah gave you a better wife, (meaning herself),” but he said, “This is not true, nobody is better than she was: for she helped me when other people let me down, and supported me when people abandoned me, and Allah made her the mother of my children.” He really respected her memory and never forgot her favors and love for him. May Allah be pleased with her.
Khazana Hadees Shareef
Jesus Christ – The Noble Prophet Of Islam
HISTORICALLY, it was the Jews who rejected Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) and accused him as the impostor messiah, that until now they still believe that the messiah prophesied in their scripture has still yet to come.
On the other hand, modern-day Christians (where the majority are Pauline Christians) consider him to be the “begotten son” of God and worship him as if he is one of the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth.
But the Islamic view of Jesus (peace be upon him) is based on what God has revealed to mankind when He said, “Verily, the likeness of Jesus in Allah’s sight is in the likeness of Adam, He created him from dust, then (He) said to him, “Be!” and he was. This is the truth from your Lord, so be not of those who doubt.” (Qur’an 3: 59-60)
So in Almighty Allah’s view, the creation of Jesus is no different from the creation of Adam (peace be upon them). When Allah wants to create something, He only says “Be!” and it is. He can create anything and anyway He pleases.
A good example we can consider is the size and the perfection of the universe which is difficult for the human mind to comprehend and yet Allah has revealed and differentiated it to us the nature of His two creations when He said: “Are you more difficult to create or is the heaven that He constructed? On high has He raised its canopy, and He hath given it order and perfection.” (79:27-28)
Allah further said: “The creation of the heavens and the earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind; yet most mankind know not.” (40:57)
Is having a “begotten son” befitting of God? The rejection of the very idea of God having a son is stated clearly with strong words from Allah Himself when He said: “And they say: The Most Gracious has betaken a son! Indeed you have put forth a terrible thing. Whereby the heavens are almost torn, and the earth is split asunder, and the mountains fall in ruins. That they ascribe a son to the Most Gracious (Allah). But it is not suitable for (the Majesty of) the Most Gracious that He should beget a son. There is none in the heavens and the earth but must come to the Most Gracious (Allah) as a slave.” (19: 88-93)
Allah has further said, “Such is Jesus, son of Mary, it is a statement of truth, about which they doubt or dispute. It befits not (the Majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son. Glorified (and Exalted is He above all they associate with Him). When He decrees a thing, He only says to it “Be!” and it is.” (19:34-35)
ALLAH has stated clearly who Jesus (peace be upon him) is when He said, “O people of the scripture! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say about Allah aught but the truth. The Messiah Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), was no more than) a Messenger of Allah and His Word (“Be!” – and he was) which He bestowed on Maryam and a spirit (created at a command) from Him so believe in Allah and His Prophets. And do not say: “Three” trinity.” Cease! (it is) better for you. For Allah is (the only) Ilah (God), glory to be Him (Far Exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is the heavens and whatever is in the earth. And Allah is All-Sufficient as a Disposer of affairs.” (4:171)
On the Day of Judgment, all the prophets and their respective followers of their times will be gathered before Allah and He will ask the prophets how they were received by their respective people and what they said to them. Among those who will be questioned by Allah is Jesus (peace be upon him), when Allah will ask him, “O Jesus, son of Mary did you say to the people, ‘take me and my mother as deities besides Allah?’ Jesus will answer before Allah, ‘Exalted are You! It was not for me to say that to which I have no right. If I had said it, You would have known it. You know what is within myself and I do not know what is within Yourself. Indeed, it is You who is Knower of the unseen. I said not to them except what You commanded me – to worship Allah, my Lord and who is also their Lord. And I was a witness over them as long as I was among them; but when You took me up, You were the Observer over them, and You are over all things – Witness. If You should punish them, indeed they are Your slaves; but if You forgive them – indeed it is You who is Exalted in Might, the Wise.” (5:116-118)
The real mission of Jesus (peace be upon him) was that he was especially prepared by Allah to be sent to the Jews who had deviated from the teachings of earlier prophets. However, the majority of the Jews rejected Jesus’ ministry.
It is an unfortunate fact and event of history that not many are following the straight path “to which people were called to by Jesus Christ, the Noble Prophet of Islam.”